Balcony and Pool Etiquette
The two places where cruise manners are tested most.
Get Free Cruise QuotesBalcony Etiquette: Your Space, Shared Air
A balcony feels private, but it sits beside others, and sound carries over water. Good balcony etiquette is mostly about noise, smoke and the rail.
- Noise. Conversations, music and phone calls travel to the next balcony and the ones above and below. Keep it low, especially late and early.
- No smoking. The major lines ban smoking on balconies, for fire safety. Use the designated areas.
- Nothing over the rail. Never throw anything, including cigarette ends, food or bottles, overboard. It is dangerous, harmful to the sea and against the rules.
- Never climb or sit on the rail. Lines treat it as a serious safety breach.
- Laundry. A towel drying on a chair is fine; anything that could blow away is not.
- Dividers. Some can open between neighboring balconies; that is for families who book side by side, and it is done by the crew.
Pool Deck Etiquette
On a sea day, the pool deck is the busiest place on the ship. The biggest complaint is chair hogging: towels and books left on loungers at dawn while their owners eat breakfast. Many lines now have written rules allowing crew to remove unattended items after a time limit, so saving chairs can backfire. Other courtesies are simple: shower before the pool, keep glass away from the water, keep music to headphones, and follow the posted age and swim-diaper rules for children. Our sister site Cruising Kids explains the rules families meet on board.
Hot Tubs and Quiet Zones
Hot tubs are small, so share them: limit your stay when others are waiting, and keep drinks in plastic. Adult-only sun decks exist so that people can read and doze; save the lively conversation for the main pool. If the ship has a premium quiet area, respect the reservations of guests who paid for it.
Sound carries up and down the side of the ship as well as sideways, so a party on one balcony can keep several cabins awake. If you plan a celebration, use a lounge instead.
Watching the sail-away
Leaving port is one of the great moments of any cruise, and the top deck and the balcony are the best places to see it. Give others a spot at the rail, and keep your phone below head height when someone behind you is trying to see.
Balcony and Pool Questions
Can I smoke on my cruise balcony?
On the major cruise lines, no. Balcony smoking is banned because of the fire risk, and lines enforce it with fines or worse. Smoking is limited to designated areas, listed in the line’s policy.
Is it OK to save pool chairs?
Many lines have rules against it, often allowing crew to clear belongings from chairs left unattended for a set period. Use a chair when you are there, and take your things when you leave.
Book a Balcony Cabin
Tell us your dates and how much time you like to spend on your own balcony. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will price balcony cabins on the ships that suit you, free of charge.
Get Free Cruise Quotes